Author: University Times

Matthew Payan, and Adam Weyeneth standing in front of a Wabanaki Canoe at the Abbe museum.

UMPI has always been a hub of great classes and professors full of passion and love for what they do. Curiosity and academic endeavors is what UMPI classes are all about, and because of that students get to experience situations and opportunities that they would never had the ability to do anywhere else. Professor Dave Putnam and his archaeology class on Dec. 1, 2018, got the chance to visit the Abbe Museum at Bar Harbor. The purpose of the trip was to examine archaic and prehistoric artifacts from Maine and also to learn more about the Native American culture and the new direction toward which the Abbe Museum is moving: the Decolonization process. Continue reading “Understanding the Native American Culture Through the Eyes of Archaeology”

The holidays are approaching at lightning speed. What’s that, you forgot to buy a gift? You’ve blown your budget before you cross off everyone on your ever-expanding list? No fear, there are plenty of options for affordable or do-it-yourself gifts. Continue reading “A Very Affordable Holiday”

They are tiny, ugly and skinny little creatures that appear during the Christmas days. Their only purpose is for 12 days to make the lives of humans miserable. Their name comes from the Greek word “καλός” which means good, and “κάνθαρος” which means beetle. Continue reading “Kalikantzari: Greek Christmas Elves”

With Christmas right around the corner, it’s time to deck the halls and blast Michael Buble’s holiday album on repeat. While people are just beginning to celebrate the holiday season with the commencement of Thanksgiving and Black Friday, there’s been an ongoing debate of when it’s appropriate to blare your speakers with Jingle Bells and other Christmas tunes. Continue reading “Do You Deck the Halls Before Thanksgiving?”

People look around to see what treats they can buy. Photo by Jacob Pelkey

Some people got some Christmas shopping done early. The Micmac Harvest Festival took place on Nov. 17. About 16 vendors from Aroostook County went to Micmac Farms from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. and sold their goods. Some of the items sold were pickled foods, jellies, jams, teas, meat and baked goods. Continue reading “First Harvest Festival a Success!”

The hum of the holidays is here and the excitement of the first few snowfalls here in the county has spread throughout most of us. This special time of year is important to me because it reminds me of how good people can be. Generosity and kindness bloom in the cold weather and we all become a little closer: whether it be your neighbor helping you get your car out of the snowy driveway after a bad storm or a complete stranger wishing you a happy holiday in passing. The best of everyone comes out during the holidays. It reminds me of the Grinch in that everyone’s hearts seem to grow at least three sizes.

With a cheerful spirit and Thanksgiving on my mind, I leave you with this issue. It comes with a wish to enjoy and remind you of all the great things our campus and community do. This year I’m thankful for UMPI, and especially the people who make UMPI and the University Times possible.

The Multipurpose Room at UMPI was packed on Oct. 23. Mary Barton Akeley Smith was giving $1 million dollars to the university to create its first endowed chair. She gave the gift in memory of her late husband and named the gift after her father, Dr. Robert Vinton Akeley. The faculty position that this gift will fund was named Dr. Robert Vinton Akeley Chair of Agricultural Science and Agribusiness. Continue reading “Agriculture Coming to UMPI”

On Halloween night, UMPI students were treated to monster stuffing in the MPR of the Campus Center. Students began to arrive around 7 p.m., looking to get first pick of the unstuffed animals. Once lines opened at 7:30 p.m., students rushed in, grabbed monsters and started filing them with stuffing. Students were also got mini UMPI SAO T-shirts for their monsters to wear. The event, run by the Student Activities Office, was first come, first served. Students had the option to stuff a raccoon, a badger, a giraffe, a monkey or a snake. Continue reading “UMPI Students Stuff-A-Monster on Halloween”

There has been so much written about the midterm election cycle that we are just concluding (but that is still underway in several states, including our own), that I hesitate to say much more about it. But I do want to focus on some very important positive results from this election process, regardless of how you may feel about specific outcomes of individual races and issues. Continue reading “Model Leaders”